Cold drafts or temperature swings
How to tell
It sits in a draft, near a cold window, or next to a heater, and leaves fall after a cold snap or a sudden temperature swing.
The fix
Move it somewhere with stable, draft-free temperatures.
Fiddle-leaf fig dropping leaves: causes and fixes
Leaf drop on your fiddle-leaf fig has a few possible causes, and on this plant the likeliest is a change in its surroundings. Check the list below, and think about what changed in its care or spot recently.
Most likely cause
A change in its surroundings. Pick one good spot and leave it alone. Keep watering and light completely stable for a few weeks. The leaf drop usually stops once nothing else changes.
Other possible causes
Not a match? Compare the signs below to find the one you have.
Too little light
How to tell
It quietly sheds its lower and inner leaves over weeks while new growth stays small and pale. Fiddle-leaf fig wants bright light and some direct sun.
The fix
Give it a brighter position, out of harsh midday sun.
Overwatering
How to tell
Leaves yellow and then drop, and the soil stays wet for days after watering.
The fix
Ease off watering, check drainage, and inspect for rot in the roots if it feels soft.
Underwatering
How to tell
Leaves drop after the soil has been bone dry for a while. Watch for crispy brown leaf edges first.
The fix
If the soil is bone dry, water thoroughly, then check it more regularly so it doesn’t dry out that far again.
Prevention
Once it’s in a good spot, don’t move it, rotate it, or change its routine. This plant reacts to almost any disturbance, so stability is everything.
More for your fiddle-leaf fig
All fiddle-leaf fig guides
Keep reading
Related plants
Same genus or the same care pattern.
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